pertaining to times BEFORE CHRIST was born prophets said:Ether 2:10​10 For behold, this is a land which is choice above all other lands; wherefore he that doth possess it shall serve God or shall be swept off; for it is the everlasting decree of God. And it is not until the fulness of iniquity among the children of the land, that they are swept off.

pertaining to the MERIDIAN of TIME prophets said:2 Nephi 1:5​5 But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenanted with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

pertaining to times AFTER CHRIST was born prophets said:Ether 2:7-97 And the Lord would not suffer that they should stop beyond the sea in the wilderness, but he would that they should come forth even unto the land of promise, which was choice above all other lands, which the Lord God hadpreserved for a righteous people.8 And he had sworn in his wrath unto the brother of Jared, that whoso should possess this land of promise, from that time henceforth and forever, should serve him, the true and only God, or they should be swept off when the fulness of his wrath should come upon them.9 And now, we can behold the decrees of God concerning this land, that it is a land of promise; and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall serve God, or they shall beswept off when the fulness of his wrath shall come upon them. And the fulness of his wrath cometh upon them when they are ripened in iniquity.

The reason that the United States is "CHOICE" I think is obvious. The country has the best conditions overall for the majority of the people here, not just a few. Yes there are a few that are filthy rich, but the vast majority have plenty when compared to other nations. The United States has an inspired Constitution that provides freedom, even though there are those among us and even in government positions who are constantly chipping away at it through ignoring it or implementing regulation to thwart it, or where high judges legislate from the bench by over-ruling votes of people and ruling votes unconstitutional when it is constitutional that the people vote! So much for freedom of the majority and how that works, when a very few un-elected judges can change the course of history on critical matters of say, marriage, which then affects the whole country! Just like their ruling on abortion decades ago which has lead to nearly 40,000,000 deaths of infants here. These judges have hanging over their heads the leading of an unsuspecting populace down a path of destruction. The Lord will wait until the fulness of wickedness before it comes crashing down by his will. It is called being "swept off" the land. It has happened several times before on this very land.

The United States is a choice land because of all this freedom and prosperity. It is obvious. The gospel was able to be restored here to the earth, because of the measure of religious freedom that was in place at the time of Joseph Smith. People from less fortunate countries are still flooding here, at least trying to, and when they are thwarted from coming in legally through red tape, many have chosen to cross the borders illegally, and where they can't because they have oceans separating them from this land, they are patiently waiting for years and years, but so very few visas granted. They want to come. Many in the United States do not want them to come, because they perceive that it will ruin our economy, that there is only so much money to go around. I don't think they are right on that, but I understand the fears. The question is, in the context of the gospel of Christ and the teachings to help and uplift all people, are fears justified in the eyes of the Lord?

I went to China and understand that many if not most of them have consigned that they never will be ABLE to come here, to live in a home, to have a car, to have a high paying job... so and they try and not think about it. They try to be positive living in their crowded apartments, no yards, no street on which to park their car which they don't even have and could never afford to buy, having a $300-500 /month job 10 times less than the USA salaries and far below what WELFARE provides to people who don't even work here, for free. In China cars are the same price or higher than here, so only the very rich can buy them. They live in poorly constructed buildings with little maintenance and so infrastructure wears out quickly, they have expensive malls which are maintained constantly reminding them of what they will never have, but instilling in them a materialism on every corner of things far beyond their reach to buy, exceeding even American prices. Only the rich buy there. I have seen it. The 10% who are privileged in higher level government positions. We have that too in American BTW, where government salaries are much higher and where pensions actually make their salaries TWICE what they appear because they will keep getting paid long after the job is over. Despite all that, In America the people in general have it very very well off. It is a blessed nation, and not because of our individual actions. In fact, America is ours to LOSE. We didn't earn it.

This is the case, because this is the Lord's choice land. Its not something WE did who live here, its something the Lord did. It is because of a blessing that we are even here, those of us who hail as citizens of the USA. This is not a self righteous declaration, don't mistake, it is an understanding of the reading of scripture that there is PURPOSE in the Lord setting up a land for a place for His people. The Lord has always had a people, and in the Bible He called them the House of Israel. But today there are also Gentiles who the Lord is taking the gospel to as well. Question is, will they accept it?

As I ponder this and see the condition of our country, the USA, deteriorating in more wickedness every year, seeing morality erode and people are now calling evil things good and good things evil, it is the beginning of persecutions that are happening now but will only increase in time. We have begun the plunge downward into wickedness and the great flood of evil that the prophets foretold was coming, is now upon us. A tidal wave of sin, that is growing in amplitude and inundating all people throughout the world with the shameless wickedness of pornography and adultery, murder, theft and war. It is a time when ALL of the 10 COMMANDMENTS are being broken by more and more people who collectively descend into a godless and wicked secular existence where God is forgotten. Yet there are a few who try and abstain, who take the holy scriptures as their guide, and strive to make the Lord the center of their lives, as challenging as it may be in so many ways. They try. Be a light to the world as Jesus taught. Be the salt of the earth, as He taught. These hold fast to the iron rod of the scriptures and they pray always in their hearts and their secret places as Jesus taught us to do.

3 Nephi 13:6​6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.1 Nephi 8:3030 ...he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holdingfast to the rod of iron (scriptures) , until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree [of life].

So what is going to happen? What do the scriptures say of the USA, and the rest of the world?What will all of this wickedness bring? Destruction is prophesied. It has happened before.

3 Nephi 21:1212 And my people who are a remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles, yea, in the midst of them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he go through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.

As I read this scripture, I realize that there are many remnants of Jacob all over the world (Israel or Jacob's posterity was scattered and there are 10 lost tribes as well). But the Lord Jesus Christ is speaking here, and He is speaking to the Nephites and Lamanites at the temple in Bountiful and he is talking about "my people" who will be among the Gentiles in this nation. The vast majority of people in the USA are Gentiles, not the House of Israel, but they too have the opportunity to accept newly revealed truths like the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ's true church... the only true church, or they can reject that and keep what they have. It is prophesied as well that they will choose to keep what they have. The Lord said:2 Nephi 29:6 6 Thou fool, that shall say: A Bible, we have got a Bible, and we need nomoreBible. Have ye obtained a Bible save it were by the Jews?7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? ....8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word?10 Wherefore, because that ye have a Bible ye need not suppose that it contains all my words; neither need ye suppose that I have not caused more to be written.

Still the Lord gave/gives them the chance and then if they don't repent that scripture above will be the result. The Lord's covenant people (I am thinking of central and south Americas where most all are of the House of Israel, descendants of Lehi), will come among them like a lion. Current events no doubt shape these prophesied outcomes. Take Donald Trump's rhetoric for example. Maybe with Donald Trump threatening 10's of millions of Latinos as a people so much, it will engender a spirit of resentment towards the white skinned Gentiles in general many of whom also seem to enthusiastically buy into what this man of many flattering words is selling. He is selling selfishness, really. He is selling deporting people, millions, which means that families will be split up, parents taken from children for instance after having been together for years or decades. No compassion. He is selling isolationism. He is selling building of huge walls (Germany and China did that). He is selling blocking people from even coming into this country based on their religion because SOME in their religion have killed people (terrorists). Donald Trump is selling something that will bring on the destruction of the nation. He is selling pride and wealth. He is selling what he has labored all his life to obtain: MONEY. He is selling the life of a Billionaire. Most of all, because of narcissism, he is promoting himself, the brand of TRUMP. In many ways, Donald Trump can be compared to Amalickiah in the Book of Mormon who sought to overthrow the freedoms of the land and establish himself to be the King of the Nephites AND Lamanites. He almost succeeded because he was a man of many flattering words, like so many politicians in the world today.

This blog entry was not about Donald Trump, but as I read these Book of Mormon scriptures I can't help but recognize what is going on in our world today and the things that are being said by various leaders, and how it affects nations and opinions. Some of these things being said are reminiscent of World War II talk, as well as the rise of Germany except that if Trump has his way the USA can be substituted for what Germany tried to do, to build walls and become greater than all other countries. That can not and should not be the GOAL in the spiritual sense. Trump has said he would go and bomb people throughout the world who had terrorists in it, and take their oil, and he would just DO things like any dictator of the past did. This is the problem with the RHETORIC. I am not judging Trump. Let God do that, but I certainly can judge the rhetoric he spews constantly, and I can see how he dismisses people who do not agree with him. He is not a listener or collaborator, but kind of a conquerer. He will break his opponents and has threatened to do so. This is not the sign of a good leader, but the sign of a bad leader. Good leaders are humble and patient, and decisive when need be, they can take heat without verbal retaliation, but one is not a good leader who dictates opinions, mocks others about their looks or misfortune, or who states that they will just make executive orders to get things done, knowing that there is a Congress in place where laws are actually made by virtue of our Constitution. In the USA we have a CONSTITUTION which must be defended, and it is set up where there are MANY people in place in government who need to collaborate to get things done (Congress). It is set up to PREVENT a single man from having too much power. It is a brilliant inspired government structure, and is the reason America is great. If Donald Trump encourages Americans to reject it by supporting him instead, because he is so "great" and "wonderful" then America will see its demise much sooner than if we had the Constitutional Republic remain in place. Donald Trump is not alone in rhetoric that is unconstitutional in nature. Both Democrat candidates Hilliary Clinton and Berney Sanders are socialists who would gladly overthrow the Constitution. Many Republican candidates also mirror many of the comments and ideas of Donald Trump. We are a nation teetoring at the edge of radical change. There must be many who will stand and defend the Constitution and not sell it away for a mess of pottage.

3 Nephi 20:13-2213 And then shall the remnants, which shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the earth, be gathered in from the east and from the west, and from the south and from the north; and they shall be brought to the knowledge of the Lord their God, who hath redeemed them.14 And the Father hath commanded me that I should give unto you this land, for your inheritance.15 And I say unto you, that if the Gentiles do not repent after the blessing which they shall receive, after they have scattered my people--16 Then shall ye, who are a remnant of the house of Jacob, go forth among them; and ye shall be in the midst of them who shall be many; and ye shall be among them as a lion among the beasts of the forest, and as a young lion among the flocks of sheep, who, if he goeth through both treadeth down and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.17 Thy hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.18 And I will gather my people together as a man gathereth his sheaves into the floor.19 For I will make my people with whom the Father hath covenanted, yea, I will make thy horn iron, and I will make thy hoofs brass. And thou shalt beat in pieces many people; and I will consecrate their gain unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord of the whole earth. And behold, I am he who doeth it.20 And it shall come to pass, saith the Father, that the sword of my justice shall hang over them at that day; and except they repent it shall fall upon them, saith the Father, yea, even upon all the nations of the Gentiles.21 And it shall come to pass that I will establish mypeople, O house of Israel.22 And behold, this people will I establish in this land, unto the fulfilling of the covenant which I made with your father Jacob; and it shall be a New Jerusalem. And the powers of heaven shall be in the midst of this people; yea, even I will be in the midst of you.